Scientometric studies cover a wide array of datasets, methodologies, and results. Analysis can lead to several types of insights, as a result of asking and answering the questions "what?", "where?", "when?", and "with whom?" (topical, geospatial, temporal, and network analysis, respectively). Many studies also cover statistical surveys of scientometric datasets. For detailed descriptions of these types of scientometric analyses, see sections 4.5 Statistical Analysis through 4.9 Network Analysis. Analysis can be performed on three major scales: micro/individual, meso/local, and macro/global. The Sci2 Tool supports workflows in all fifteen varieties of scientometric studies, as well as combination and modeling studies. The following chapter describes the workflows used to conduct scientometric studies of each type and at each scale. Tables 5.1 and 5.2 show examples of studies in each category, several of which can be found in section 6 Sample Science Studies & Online Services.

Analysis Types and Sample Studies

Micro/Individual (1-100 records)

Meso/Local (101--10,000 records)

Macro/Global (10,000 < records)

Statistical Analysis/Profiling

Individual persons and their expertise profiles

Larger labs, centers, universities, research domains, or states

All of NSF, all of US, all of science.

Temporal Analysis (When)

Funding portfolio of one individual

Mapping topic bursts in 20-years of PNAS

113 years of physics research

Geospatial Analysis (Where)

Career trajectory of one individual

Mapping a state's intellectual landscape

PNAS publications

Topical Analysis (What)

Base knowledge from which one grant draws

Knowledge flows in Chemistry research

Topic maps of NIH funding

Network Analysis (With Whom?)

NSF Co-PI network of one individual

Co-author network

NSF's core competency

Table 5.1: Major analysis types and levels of analysis.

Table 5.2: Screenshots of major analysis types and levels of analysis.